The Slow Way
by sctwilightvampwolfgal
Summary: Even though, she's known the feelings were there for a while, she doesn't quite come naturally to say the words right away. *An Appreciation Gift Fic for TheNovelArtist, an absolutely incredible writer with stories on here, on Tumblr, and AO3, who is also a published novelist.*


**Okay, if you haven't read TheNovelArtist's stories, then you are surely missing out and should go do that now! (Honestly, she's one of the top five writers that come to my mind that inspire me and that I could literally just sit in my room all day rereading stories of and never grow bored. Every new story of hers is just as incredible as can be, and I really mean that.) She is one of the best Miraculous writers that I've come across, and I will literally read any story that she writes no matter how long it takes me to get to it, and as I slowly catch up on Season Three, I look forward to being able to read even more of her work. (I got so excited to be able to read some of her Season Three related work. Since before I watched Oblivio or Weredad, I refused to read anything over them that might spoil the episodes for me.) **

**For TheNovelArtist, I really, really hope that I did KimLix justice and that you love this longer oneshot of mine that I wrote for you. I remembered that you really liked KimLix too, and so I thought that that would be the best pairing to write then. I wanted to write something longer than most of my oneshots for you, since your writing doesn't tend to fall on the short side and is absolutely incredible. I really hope that this story makes you feel appreciated, because you deserve it! I, one day, hope that my writing could be as amazing as yours, and I'm constantly blown away by your newer stories. I just really love them and all of your writing that I've read. I hope that you've had a great day and that this story manages to be a bright light in your path or at the very least reminds you of how incredible you are to this fandom, how beautiful and lovely your stories are, and how much you are appreciated. It's been a while since I've written an appreciation fic, and I still can't believe that I didn't write one for you sooner. (I've been planning on writing you one for so long.) Thank you for all that you do. Have a wonderful and incredible day, full of joy! **

There were little things that Alix would never admit made her fall more in love with Kim. Little things that could be written off if they were anyone else's, and she didn't doubt that somehow along the way, she discovered a little part of herself that she'd never known before. Alix sat crosslegged, fiddling with her phone, wondering if it was worth it to even dial a number, when it always seemed easier to just show up.

Sure enough, her phone rang. It was Kim, and so, she answered the man that was still in the center of her thoughts. "Hi, Kim." She answered, relaxing as she knew how to talk with him. There was never any real pit of anxiety or worry, though there had been a time when she'd briefly started wondering just how to speak to Kim in the light of the feelings that she had developed for him.

"Hi, Alix." His answer seemed so steady, so _normal_, and Alix smiled at the ease that those two words managed to hold together.

"So are you bored? Do you want me to beat you at another race?" Alix challenged, just as she shifted again. Sure, there were other things that she wanted, to hold him close, to kiss him, even though kisses had usually appeared gross. Kim made it less so or at least the thought of it wasn't half bad.

"You'd still lose. You can never beat me." Alix could imagine that she heard a shrug in his voice, and she smiled at just the thought.

"You bet?" Alix stood up, ready to prove him wrong. She'd always planned on that, and it didn't become less appealing. She loves that about him, and it doesn't change her feelings or make them much weaker. The challenge just sparked something within her, and she was grateful that it didn't diminish any feelings within her but strengthened them.

"I do." And, she hated the tease of those words, though they weren't meant in the way that gave her pause and had her heart beating to a different tempo than a challenge ever brought about. How could he always make her feel something with so much ease? Emotions aren't built to last, but people are. Alix knows as she remembers the steady way her parents had managed to be together, to stay together, and get through it without just purely giving up on each other. She can easily recall the times when it was difficult, just as she could recall the times when her parents made it seem so effortless, so easy.

* * *

Naturally, they met up months later for a competition at the ice rink, just to see who was the better ice skater with as little practice beforehand as possible. Alix may have suggested the ice rink, because it was a great couple's spot as evidenced by the failed doubledate of Kagami with Adrien, and Marinette with Luka. It was a weird combination, one that Alix wasn't sure that she liked.

Marinette and Luka were pretty alright together, but she still couldn't quite imagine Adrien with anyone other than Marinette. Not after months of planning, and trying to help her out, but romance wasn't Alix's favorite thing in the world or the one that she was most excited about. She certainly wasn't a pro, and knew that she couldn't predict which couple would be longer lasting or better or anything like that.

Alix slipped on her skates, half considering the cute couple-y thing that Marinette had complained about, but she wasn't quite sure that she wanted to lace up Kim's skates or at least not _now__**. **_She usually skipped the sweet steps, or so she'd like people to think as she stood up and figured that chivalry works both ways.

"Hey, Kim? Need help up?" Alix offered a hand, ignoring the initial glare before he relented, and let her take his much larger hand into her own small one, and help him up. She didn't bother to pause long enough to adjust to the feeling of warmth that emanated from his hands or the rough callouses that had been developed from hard work, as she just quickly pulled him up, relying on her own strength more than the help he gave to get up. It lasted maybe three seconds, and then Alix was already skating to where they'd start. Picturing her ice skates, not being made for ice, even as Kim gave her a look as if she'd been practicing.

"I haven't practiced skating on ice." She smiled as she waited, and it was nothing like those fairytales, and yet she didn't mind. Something was real and truly there, and that's what mattered. Somehow her skin tingled from the upcoming competition and the competitive look that Kim gave her, even though she was definitely going to win.

* * *

She won, though it wasn't the point of the competition, even though the initial enthusiasm was always to try your hardest to win. With Kim, it became more about just having competitions, of just being near each other, and challenging each other, even when it wasn't neccessarily easy.

There was just something about him that gave her pause, made her relish in the peacefulness and the friendship that existed between them. Romance was always supposed to feel like your best friend with so much more attached. It moved with the ease of friendship at the same time, it was with the person that she so desperately wanted to lean over and kiss and ask out and just be by his side, forever and ever. It was a type of commitment that Alix was not used to admitting that she wanted and desired.

Stability and the first glimpses were so appealing, and right now, though, she'd just step closer. Kim clearly had worked hard to skate on that ice, to move with attempted ease, and Alix knew that it had been a little unfair. She spent most days on skates, and though they weren't ice skates, she was used to moving around without having to deal with just walking.

"Hey, Kim." She moved closer, suddenly unsure of herself; what do you offer in comfort of someone you've grown up challenging and somewhere along the way fell in love with? "How about we go swimming? You can beat me in the water, and then we can go get ice cream or something from Andre's. Is that okay?" Alix couldn't imagine a more date-like date than getting true love's ice cream, even though she wasn't quite sure that's how not-dating, dating works. It's kind of hard, when you haven't confessed to someone you like, to ask him out.

"You'd race me in the pool?" Kim asked her, and his apparent surprise only made her feel guiltier. Oh, how sometimes she hated this!

"Yeah. I'm not the fastest swimmer around, but I figured I'd give it a try." Alix smiled, letting the guilt kind of ease; they'll get through this one way or the other, besides maybe Kim would notice or maybe not. She knew that she wasn't the most obvious girl in love, so she doubted that it was the easiest thing to grasp and figure out.

Either way, unfair challenges weren't fun, when they didn't work both ways. She'd let him do something he was obviously better at, but it still meant that they might have to leave each other a bit to get swimsuits as Alix had not counted on swimming today, just ice skating and whatever else came up.

"So, do we just meet up in fifteen minutes at the pool? I didn't bring a swimsuit." Alix asked, shrugging; perhaps, it was for the best, to just get a breath of fresh air before she came back..?

"Oh, mine is at the pool." Kim smiled, "Should I walk with you back to your house? No sense, going on without you."

Perhaps, her decision really was the best as already things were beginning to look up a bit more for Kim. Alix returned his smile with a small one of her own.

"Sure, if you want to." Alix shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

That got her a barely there frown, and Alix immediately regreted her words, "Actually, that would be great, Kim!" The sudden attempted enthusiasm felt like a mess and far too fast to Alix as she hoped that he didn't think she was mental for shifting how she felt so fast.

"Okay..? I'll just walk with you then." Kim stayed close to her side, and as Alix looked over, she wondered if he knew or suspected her feelings or maybe returned them. It made her chest feel warm and joyous, though she knew the words would never arrive to simply tell him that she already felt so happy at that.

* * *

"Should I get changed at the pool?" She asked as she held her swimsuit awkwardly in her hands. Alix was not the best swimmer and rarely ever went swimming anyway. The only reason that she had a swimsuit that still fit, was the fact that she hadn't grown all that much in the past three years. It was something that she wasn't keen to bring to anyone else's mind. It wasn't a pretty thing either, just a dark blue almost black one piece swimsuit.

"I am." Kim looked bored as he looked over at the little bits of pictures on the wall, and Alix wondered what he felt as he saw pictures of her when she was younger, her brother, and her parents. It was odd to know that some of the pictures felt more like one time occurrences, particularly as she looked at her mother staring back and knowing that her mother would not be able to pose in pictures again.  
The odd, achey feeling hadn't quite left anyway.

"Okay, I will too." Alix attempted a smile as Kim turned back to her.

"Your dad's not home yet?" Kim asked as if just acknowledging the quiet of the apartment.

"No, he's still at work and so is Jalil." She shrugged, "They'll be back before you know it." Alix paused to nudge Kim's shoulder with a smile.

"Okay."

* * *

It felt weird to be wearing a swimsuit again; it felt nearly bare. Alix stared in the mirror, wondering if one day, she'll grow again and need to get a new one in order to swim against Kim. Obviously, she still wanted to win, even faced with the reality that she wouldn't. Her pink hair seemed almost too stark of a contrast against her dark suit, and she wasn't sure that she liked the look of it.

"Alix, you're ready, right?"

"Yeah." She took a deep breath; it was better to get out there and give it a shot than stay in here and wonder if she's perhaps pushing herself too much.

Kim sort of looked at her, but his face was a little pink, and he just looked away to get to the water. Alix followed right away, kind of used to seeing him shirtless from past challenges though her belly gave just a bit of a pitfall room, and she wondered if there was always going to be something that brought Kim straight to her notice and back again.

As she got ready, adjusting to the water, not quite as familiar with it as Kim who was already stretching, and Alix smiled as she considered their differences yet again. Their differences always snuck up on her and made her pause to just admire what pulled them together time and time again; their differences didn't divide them, but brought them together to grow off of the many differences that always were there.

When they began to count down, she closed her eyes for just a moment to hear the timbre of his voice and to relax before she'd throw herself into the water and push all of those relaxation aside for the rush of a competition. "Go!"

Then they were off, and Alix lost track of the rush of warmth within her from earlier and instead focused on the fact that she was falling behind and the rushing water and glanced over to gauge where her rival was, so that she knew how hard she'd have to push herself to beat him in the water. It didn't matter when her breath came out in little puffs or that she could already tell that she was pushing herself very hard to remain close to him as Kim was still a decent way in front of her.

Each time she threw her hands in front of herself to push through the water, she poured forth all of her. She needed to get ahead, needed to beat him, even as she was moments behind him as he turned around to go back to where they started, before she could even touch the wall.

Once, she got to the wall, Alix turned around with a start, pushing off of it, hard enough to make her muscles push just a little more than she probably should have. It didn't stop that as she caught up to Kim, he placed his hands on the wall and spun around to watch her stop right next to him, breathless.

"You're definitely fast." Alix complained lightly, even though she was kind of glad that they had different strong suits, as she'd hate for things to always fall into the same old patterns. It gave her something to strive for and hope to work on and better herself in, to become much better competition.

"You challenged a swimmer, you know?" He was smiling, and she almost laughed at that kind of smug pride.

"Yeah, I know. Do you want to get ice cream now?" Alix stood up, ignoring the fact that she was currently the only one standing.

"Uh... Sure." Kim nodded as he glanced up, having to look up to her for probably one of the few times ever. For pretty much their whole lives or as long as Alix could remember, Kim was always taller than her. It started out as only a few inches, if that, and now it had became much more.

* * *

It was different to be sharing ice cream, to have ordered it together from Andre, and saw the kind of smile on his face that both told Alix that they were in for a long ride and that it would be a lovely one too. She wasn't quite sure if he knew just how long she'd known Kim or how much they tended to bicker and fight, but maybe, just maybe, he saw the little compromises, the little sacrifices, that kind of built something up: a friendship or something beyond these feelings too.

"This is kind of nice." Kim spoke, and the softness in his voice already quieted Alix by a little bit.

"It is." She murmured; it was more than kind of, as they kind of just walked aimlessly by each other's sides.

"So why Andre's? Why today?" Kim asked her, nudging her just enough to jostle her.

"Why not Andre's? Why not today?" She challenged him, before something in the look in his eyes made her calm her challenge down, "Today just seemed right. It's been too long since we should have done something like this." Alix had loved today, loved the ice skating rink, the swimming, and now the ice cream. It was nice to just be with Kim and not always have to worry about the next challenge and yet look forward to them when they did happen.

"A while since we should have?" Kim paused, and so she stopped next to him, watching the curious kind of way that he looked at her, as if he could sort of see something there and yet wasn't quite sure what it was that he saw.

"You know, challenges are fun, and I love them. I love the effort, the push, and I love sometimes struggling to win. I even don't mind too much when you win." Alix paused, unsure of just what to say next, "But, I love just being around you too, and not needing that push. We've been friends forever, and sometimes people don't see that when they see us, but it's true. It's just that it doesn't feel quite the same way as any of my other friendships. It feels different to hang out with Nathanael or Marinette or Juleka or someone." She sighed, not quite sure if there were words she even liked that could come next and explain it.

"You are different from Max." Kim paused as he looked at her as if something was slowly starting to come together for him, "Or Ondine too."

"So," Alix was trying to find the right words, something that didn't feel like what every girl said when she admitted to falling for one of her childhood friends as those just didn't seem like the right words for Kim and Alix, as they were unique, "I think that how much I loved the competition ended up not being what held us together in the end."

"What did?" Kim was, for once, patient with her, and Alix just hoped that she was clear on this in particular.

"You, and I guess, me." Alix felt her face warm up just a little, "It's really you that kept me coming back to challenge you or kept your number in my phone or encouraged me when it was time for that. I think that together we've become something a little more than friends." She stepped closer, unsure what someone did at a confession once they've, well, confessed.

"I get that." Kim's voice was soft, and she realized that for once he also didn't have the words to say, and that was okay, too.

"So, do you want to be my boyfriend, Kim?" Alix figured that those were the most important ones and that those had to be next.

"I do." This time, it definitely felt even more like a tease, and she wondered briefly why she put up with him when he put her on so many rollercoaster rides of emotion, but she really did love him more than she felt ready to admit.

"Do you want to race on Friday or have dinner?" Alix asked, enjoying the way that it took him slightly off center in surprise.

"Race, definitely, but if you wanted, we could still have dinner..?" It was definitely not what anyone normally called a date, but Alix was just grateful that it was something that definitely worked for them.


End file.
